WILD-FOWL DECOYS IN ESSEX. ^ 



By J. E, HARTING, F.L.S., F.Z.S. (Member of the British Ornithologists' Union). 

 »•• \_Read February 26th, 1887.] 



With Plate I. 



Although the investigations carried on by any Natural History 

 Society need not necessarily be confined to objects within the county, 

 or district, in which the Society has been formed, it is only natural 

 that these should occupy the chief share of attention, since they 

 possess a greater interest for members of the Society than topics 

 having no special relation to the county. 



From this point of view it has occurred to me that some account 

 of wild-fowl decoys in Essex might be acceptable to the Society, 

 especially as I have reason to think that the subject may be new to 

 many. 



We have only to look at the map of Europe to see how favourably 

 the county of Essex is situated to afford refuge to the vast flocks of 

 wild-fowl which, migrating southward at the approach of winter, come 

 to us from Scandinavia and countries further north, as well as from 

 the opposite shores of Holland. 



Looking more particularly at a map of the county, we cannot fail 

 to be struck at the number of important rivers (no less than six) 

 which empty themselves into the sea along its coast, forming wide 

 estuaries and tidal harbours, some of them studded with islands, and 

 bordered in some places for many miles with extensive marshes and 

 mud-flats, which afford attractive feeding ground to many species of 

 wild ducks as well as to large flocks of Brent geese. 



One island in particular, Foulness Island, was formerly notable for 

 the colony of Black-headed Gulls, or " Puiis " as they were locally 

 termed, which annually resorted to breed there. It is thus quaintly 

 noticed by Fuller ("Worthies," page 318) : — 



" There is an island of some two hundred acres near Harwich, In the parish of 

 Little-Okeley, in the manour of Matthew Gilly, Esq., called the Futt Island, 

 from Fmfs, in effect the sole inhabitants thereof. Some affirm them called in 

 Latine Upupa, whilst others maintain that the Roman language doth not reach 

 the name, nor land afford the bird. On Saint George his day precisely they pitch 

 on the island, seldome laying fewer than four or more than six eggs. Great their 

 love to their young ones ; for though against foul weather they make to the main 

 land (a certain prognostick of tempests), yet they always weather it out in the island 

 when hatching their young ones, seldome sleeping whilst they sit on their eggs 

 (afraid, it seems, of spring-tides), which signifieth nothing as to securing their 

 eggs from the inundation, but is an argument of their great affection. Being 

 young they consist onely of bones, feathers, and lean flesh, which hath a raw gust 



